Sometimes dreams can not be explained by science alone. The mystical side of dreams is both mysterious and sacred. And to dive into these sorts of dreams requires sensitivity and an open mind. In future articles, we will go over many techniques and guides for each category, but for now, lets get as simple as possible: here are the most common things people report involving a dream that has a bit of “something more” in it. And, along with it, a brief definition.
Astral Projection – Astral Projection is a state achieved in meditation, sometimes during a dream spontaneously or controlled, where the spirit body is propelled outside of the physical body and is free to explore the real-world as well as the astral plane. During these experiences the dreamer can mingle with other dreamers (sometimes unconsciously which is one way of explaining shared dream experiences) or spirits and can explore wherever they want. While science doesn’t recognize Astral Projection as a valid (proven) state of being, it does recognize that Astral Projection is a subjective experience outside of any psychiatric disorders (such as dissociation or depersonalization). However, evidence of Native Americans, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans show that Astral projection is accepted among varying cultures as a very valid experience. Even the bible backs up the experience of Astral Projection.
- Fun Fact: Astral Projection is an Out-of-Body Experience, but OBEs are not always Astral Projections. An OBE can be caused by trauma and other things of that nature while an Astral Projection is connoted more with a spiritual quest or journey.
- Link: Adventures Beyond the Body: How to Experience Out-of-Body Travel – A guide to inducing Astral Projection
Communication with Spirits – Many dreams have been reported where a dreamer has communicated with a deceased loved one. These dreams hold much power and have therapeutic properties as they usually bring a sense of closer and peace. In these dreams, the dreamer is joined by someone who is deceased and they feel their presence as if they were actually there. These dreams tend to be extremely vivid and leaves the dreamer in awe afterwards. Like these dreams with the deceased, another form of spirit communication is dreaming of a spirit guide or guardian angel. In all cases, these dreams tend to yield valuable messages and a one of a kind experience for the dreamer.
- Fun Fact: The most common time to have a dream of a deceased loved-one is within a week of the death, and then later between 6 weeks to 3 months after the death. There is no scientific explanation for the gap of time in between those time frames.
- Link: In Communication With The Deceased – This book investigates communication with the deceased from both a scientific and religious standpoint, taking the reader through many case studies and leaving it up to the reader to figure out what science can’t explain.
The Conscious Dreamer – A conscious dreamer is one who participates in (mostly) active meditations and exercises through-out the day in order to fulfill greatness in their dreams. The idea behind conscious dreaming is that the more awareness one has from themselves and the outside world, the greater awareness they will have in their dreams. Conscious dreaming also includes willing a dream about a certain subject, praying for guidance, and even the act of writing in a dream diary will make a person a conscious dreamer. The Conscious dreaming is as rewarding as it is nurtured by the dreamer themselves.
- Fun Fact: Because Conscious Dreaming includes quite a bit of being a passive observer during a dream, it is also a type of Lucid Dreaming.
- Link: Conscious Dreaming: A Spiritual Path for Everyday Life – This book has everything you need to know about Conscious dreaming.
The Lucid Dream – A dream where there is some sort of awareness or control during dream-time. These types of dreams fall into many categories, but the three main categories are: dream-initiated (the dreamer becomes lucid during an otherwise normal dream), wake-initiated (the dreamer is aware of falling asleep and is able to have lucid dreams right after falling asleep), and mnemonic-initiated (the dreamer has done exercises to enhance lucidity and achieves this in the dream state).
- Fun fact: Lucid Dreams are shown to involve both right brain and left brain cooperation/communication.
- Link: Left Brain, Right Brain – This game can help bridge the gap between the left and right side of the brain, giving the dreamer a workout in the awake state to greatly increase lucidity in the dream world
The Prophetic/Premonition Dream – A dream about current or future events with information that the dreamer could not otherwise have during wake time. The Prophetic dream, when spontaneous, happens most commonly with large events in life (revealing a death or major injury) or with very mundane events (the pamphlet says to go to level 3, but upon reaching the elevator the dreamer pushes 4 instead, which is later carried out in waking life leads to an exceptional experience). Getting to the in-between stage of prophecy takes someone who is open to receiving visions through clairvoyance, through spirit or religious beliefs, or through many exercises to enhance these experiences. While prophecy in general can be frowned upon by the general public, the prophetic dream is the most socially accepted as a valid means to attain unexplainable information (not to imply that any way of prophecy isn’t valid).
- Fun Fact: By age of 50, most people report that they have had at least one prophetic dream.
- Link(s): Spiritualism & Clairvoyance for Beginners – A beginner’s book on developing clairvoyance.
- Growing In The Prophetic: A practical biblical guide to dreams, visions, and spiritual gifts – A book geared towards Christians with extremely helpful information.
The Shared Dream – A dream where a person either steps into another’s dream or vice versa or two people have strikingly similar dreams the night before. This is most common with couples, twins, and family members. This is also one way to explain why the same idea seems to pop up all over the world at around the same time. Some spiritualists believe that the shared dream experience can only happen while the other person is asleep.
- Fun Fact: Shared dreams might be much more common than we think because we as a society are so disinclined to talk to others about our dreams.
- Link: Dreams & Relationships: Interpret Your Dreams, Understand Your Emotions, and Find Fulfillment – This unique dream book has exercises for couples to enhance shared dreaming experiences.
Other Resources:
Dreamwork: From Around the World and Across Time: An Anthology
Dreaming in the World’s Religions: A Comparative History
The Secret History of Dreaming
– K. Kennedy
*False awakening and Sleep paralysis will be discussed in full in a later article*
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